Crash restraint systems for automotive occupants have been used for a number of years. Presently most states mandate seat belt usage in passenger vehicles. Clearly, lap belts and shoulder belts have proven their effectiveness in reducing injury by restraining occupant movements resulting from impact forces experienced by the vehicle during a crash. It is also common knowledge that many individuals do not use seat belts despite the overwhelming evidence of their effectiveness in preventing serious injury and death in crash situations. Hence the quest for a true passive restraining system, i.e. a system that does not require the participation of the vehicle occupant.
The so-called "air bag" was originally thought to be such a system, but later studies have shown the need to use seat belts with an air bag. In the event of a crash involving a certain minimum level of impact force, a container of highly pressurized gas (such as nitrogen) is opened by a motion sensor to rapidly inflate a bag that mushrooms out of the steering column in front of the driver. There is also a system that uses a gas developing chemical reaction for inflation. The bag fills very rapidly and results indicate that it is effective in preventing death and critical injury in vehicles involved in head-on collisions.
The air bag system is however difficult to deploy for an occupant other than the drive because of the much larger volume that must be covered, e.g. there is no steering wheel column, from which the bag emerges, positioned close to the occupant as is the case with the driver of the vehicle. Similarly, passengers in the rear occupant seat of the vehicle are offered little protection from the presently configured air bag system. The system also does not deal with a third front seat occupant which the vehicle may carry. The air bag also has a psychological drawback in that the occupant has his vision completely obstructed when the air bag mushrooms in his face. Quite clearly, the driver of such a vehicle is thwarted in attempting to control the vehicle during the crash. This can be of extreme importance in multiple vehicle crashes where continued maneuvering of the vehicle could be critical. Additionally, air bags are ineffective in side collisions and in many angle collisions, which comprise the largest number of crashes. Additionally, the air bag (of necessity) rapidly deflates when deployed and is ineffective to protect against subsequent impacts. A likely to occur scenario is one in which a vehicle is struck at an angle and forced into an opposing traffic lane. If the air bag deploys at the first impact, it will be useless in the likely upcoming head-on collision. Finally, the air bag is expensive and very difficult to accommodate in the vehicle.
The present invention moves a web, such as a net, from an out-of-the way stored position to a deployed position embracing the occupant seat in the event of a high impact force over a wide angle frontal collision plane (about 180 degrees). Since the web extends across the occupant seat of the vehicle, it is effective to restrain movements of all occupants in that occupant seat. The web is out of the normal view of the occupants when in the stored position and permits continued visibility and vehicle control when deployed. The net also restrains lateral occupant movement and is latched, when deployed, to continue to protect the occupant in the event of multiple collisions. (The inventive web restraint system is also readily adapted to protect other rows of occupant seats, is easily installed (and replaced) and is very low in cost.)
In the preferred embodiment, the web comprises a generally trapezoidal shaped net of plastic material, such as nylon, with a weave that is sufficiently coarse so as to permit substantially full vision, when deployed. The web is stored above and forwardly of the occupant seat and is concealed in the vehicle roof. The deployed web permits the driver to exercise continued control over the vehicle since his forearms and hands are free to manipulate the steering wheel and his vision is unimpaired. (With an air bag, the driver's arms are immediately forced apart, thus breaking his grip on the steering wheel.) All of the operating components of the inventive web restraining system are readily concealed in the headlining, interior molding and side door pillars of the vehicle. The design of the vehicle is not adversely affected and even such features as sun (moon) roofs may be incorporated. The web itself may also include reinforced sections to simulate the actions of lap and shoulder seat belts.